The Alternate State

Chapter 6

I stand to my feet and begin racing down the alleyway, there has to be someone, something here that can help. I turn down two more allies heart racing before I come across a veterinary clinic, closed for the night. I find a large rock on the storm drain and this time I hurl the rock with all of my might. Shattering the front window pane to bits. I wish link were here to sarcastically congratulate me, maybe start a little slow clap. But that's why we're here, to save Link. I head inside the clinic, the sound of glass crunching beneath my feet as I make my way towards the back. There has to be something here to help him. I frantically search through the drawers, most of which are unlocked, the image of links limp body still fresh in my mind. I find one containing more wrap and gauze and take a bunch shoving them into the pocket of my jacket. As I search other drawers I find a suture kit. I really don't want to use this, I know how to sew some, but this is different, this isn't fabric, this is flesh and bone. But it might save him so i take it as well swallowing hard. I open a large drawer with a fat lock on it, Bingo. I take a fire extinguisher off the way and begin smashing the lock, the drawers, the corners, anything to get it open. Finally after my arms have grown weak and sweat stings my eyes, I get a corner open prying the rest of the drawer open to reveal what's inside. There are a bunch of medications I can't pronounce, I don't know what any of this does. But I find a bottle with a lid I know means it's meant to have a syringe draw something out of it. A few read 0.9% Normal Saline and I know he will need fluids so I grab a couple bottles in my pockets, there is also an antibiotic I recognize the name of, I've taken it a few times for the chronic ear infections I had as a child, and finally a bottle covered in warnings, anesthesia, I definitely am not going to mess around with that but I bring it and a syringe just in case. I say a quick prayer under my breath and run out the front door just as I hear sirens in the distance. Hopefully they're here for this and not the two bodies I left in the ally. As I approach where I left link, my legs are trembling, still unconscious I rush to Lincoln's side. He's clammy to the touch but breathing slow shallow breaths. I take off the blanket and remove the wraps around his stomach. I wince, it looks much worse than it did before and he bled through the gaue. I dig through my bag searching for the other container of water. I find it and pour it on his stomach once again till it runs out. There is a small reaction from him, a groan and a small movement, that's a good sign. I empty my pockets beside me and pick up the suture kit, I wish this thing came with instructions, just like hemming a stubborn pair of jeans I tell myself. I empty the box out. I look at all the tools inside, and debate on whether or not this is a good idea. I take a deep breath knowing it's too late for that now, and open the bag containing the rest of the materials. I see a piece of paper, and thank god, its instructions. How did I ever get so lucky. I read the instructions carefully before I begin. I put on the latex gloves included in the kit, and use the needle pliers to hold the needle. I use the tweezer to pull the skin so I can see where to to insert it in his skin. I realize how deep his wound is. I take one final breath wishing I hadn't just eaten lunch. I close my eyes, center myself on the project at hand, stealing my nerves. I whisper, "Link, honey if you can hear me. I uh, i'm sorry about this. This is gonna hurt like hell." I fight the urge to want to do this slowly or gently, knowing I have to make this go as quickly and painlessly as possible but first I have to stick this thing into his skin, deep. There's no more putting it off I take a last deep breath as a roll of nausea hits, I puncture his skin at one, Lincoln's eyes shoot open and he lets out an animal howl. Good, at least he's conscious. "Link! Lincoln!" I hiss, "I know, babe I know ok, but you have to sit still ok?", with that his eyes go wide staring up at the night sky, I can tell he's awake but the light behind his eyes is fading, I wonder if it's from shock or blood loss. I twist my hand so that the needle comes out on the other side, trying to make it as straight as possible. I pull the thread and wrap it around the needle holder, my hands shaking from the adrenaline. I then loop the string through making an overhand knot. Then i pull. Link stares up at the sky motionless doing deep even breaths and I see as a tear rolls down his cheek. I then tie it again creating a double knot. I then repeat this all down his wound, carefully. I wrap his stomach back up when I'm finished and sit besides him. My shoulder touches his and I realize how cold he is. I take off my jacket and wrap it around him before taking the blanket and putting it over both of us. "Don't, don't sit up for a while ok." He remains motionless tears streaming now, "Lincoln, can you hear me?" Again he remains very still just taking deep breaths, I can't imagine how he must feel right now. "I know it's not much but I have some pain reliever in my bag and I grabbed you some antibiotics." He nods slightly without looking at me. He has beads of sweat building up on his brow and just above his upper lip and I can see he's trembling slightly. "I know you're not going to want to, but we have to get out of here before someone comes out the back and discovers our friend over there." He nods slightly backing up slowly with a grimace sitting up against the bricks. We sit there like that for a minute before I force my exhausted adrenaline laden legs to stand. I pick up my supplies and offer him the last bit of water and two ibuprofen. "It's not much but ibuprofen thins your blood and I can't let that happen, so you're going to have to kind of tough it out from here, but maybe this will take the edge off just a bit." I stoop down and help Lincoln to his feet, I can tell he's holding his breath to keep from shouting. The pain must be unimaginable. Once he finally stands I stumble a bit as the back of my head begins to ache from the effort. Now what to do with an injured partner and a dead body. Things just got very complicated. I have two options, call the police and explain it was self defence, I might get lucky and discover there were security cameras to prove my innocence nearby, or leave the body and roll the dice when the police find him. If I call the police I have to go down to the station, answer questions, submit evidence and testing, that takes precious time we don't have, so against my better judgement and against my screaming conscience I decide we have to leave him alone and dead in the streets, I look deep within myself and lace my heart with ice, silencencing my nagging conscience. I pull my shoulders back and take one sharp breath in, "lets go" I say and we begin the slow trek back up the ally as we round the corner there is hardly anyone on the streets, night has come and any respectable citizen knows better than to hang around these streets after dark, We have been walking for maybe fifteen minutes, but it feels like twice that because Lincoln is putting so much of his weight on me. The exhaustion I feel now that the adrenaline has worn off and the dull ache in the back of my head makes my muscles scream against the effort. There is a building up ahead, the last of this block and there's two men outside arms crossed patting down a man in his forties before he's allowed entrance. One of them sees us and I try to force us to walk more normally, to keep Lincoln's head up, "Lincoln, honey. Hey. Sit up straight ok. As straight as you can" I whisper. Lincoln nods weakly and does his best to straighten his posture and change his countenance so that he looks strong, able bodied, not likely bleeding internally. As we come upon the men one of them takes one look at me and nods curtly, I drop my gaze and keep my eyes to the sidewalk, the other man takes one look at Lincoln and says, "hey there fella." Lincoln stops walking and says.
"Nice night." Trying to sound casual.